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Inhabitat's Week in Green: pencil-tip generators, the Nissan Leaf, and the world's largest wind turbine
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week we saw renewable energy take the world by storm as Spain announced plans to construct the world's largest wind turbine and a team of engineers made waves with plans for an underwater turbine modeled after whale flippers. We also saw Boeing shine light on plans to produce a new breed of ultra-efficient solar panels that are suited for space, while researchers in Japan developed a potent new kinetic generator that's as tiny as a pencil tip. Innovative eco transportation also picked up the pace as China rolled out plans to produce the first fuel cell powered light rail train and the world's largest solar-powered boat made its successful maiden voyage across the Atlantic. We also applauded the Nissan Leaf as it took first place as the European Car of the Year and we were wowed by Mercedes' next-generation concept car, which may one day be grown in a lab. We also showcased several new ways that technology stands to wire our lives -- starting with an electronic smart wallet that curbs spending by clamping shut like a clam. We also looked at Harvard's plans for a laptop computer powered by biogas and we were impressed by Nike's next-gen design tools for producing environmentally efficient clothes. Finally, we wrapped up the week with two exciting advances in tablet tech - India is testing a solar-powered I-Slate tablet geared at children in need and Substrata rolled out a gorgeous wooden iPad case that goes light on the earth.
Nissan Leaf blessed with 99MPG 'equivalent' sticker, roundtable arguments ensue
Cue the pundits. Nissan's incoming Leaf has just nabbed an official EPA sticker, with a mind-melting 99MPG "equivalent" rating set to grace every single window. That'll undoubtedly catch eyes, but it's also likely to spur a huge debate on what "miles per gallon" truly means when you're throwing a battery into the mix. We actually had the pleasure of driving one ourselves late last month, but we weren't able to take off on any extended joyrides to really put MPG claims to the test. At any rate, the 99 rating breaks down to 106MPG in the city and 92MPG on the highway, but there's quite a bit of fuzzy math here that gas guzzlers aren't accustomed to considering. Nissan claims that the EPA uses a formula where 33.7 kWhs are equivalent to one gallon of gasoline energy, and that the entity also found the Leaf's efficiency to be 3.4 miles per kWh. Given that the car has a 24 kWh battery pack and can go 73 miles officially, then the EPA says it could theoretically go 99 miles if it had a 33.7 kWh pack. Still, the Leaf has to await its other label from the FTC, but it's apt to show a range of 96 to 110 miles of range. Head on past the break for the full presser.
Nissan Leaf launches in Europe, takes us for a drive
26,000 people can't be wrong, right? That's the current tally of Leaf pre-orders that Nissan has collected from US and Japanese drivers excited by its all-electric hatchback. Yesterday, the car that's built to plug into the same wall outlet as your toaster held its official pan-European launch party -- with the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, and Portugal getting the first deliveries in early 2011 -- and we were on site to grab a few closeup pictures and some precious time in the driver's seat. American drivers should look out for a new set of keys in their mailbox this December, so there's probably no better time than now to give them a preview of what they're getting themselves into. Jump past the break for more on the Nissan Leaf.%Gallery-105887%%Gallery-105918%
Nissan Leaf goes 116.1 miles in first anecdotal test, with the air conditioning on
If there's one thing we've learned from years of toying with technology, it's never to believe a manufacturer's estimate regarding battery life, but it seems like the estimates Nissan provided for its Leaf electric car may not be too far off the mark. Though the vehicle obviously isn't getting 367 miles to its non-existent gallon, PluginCars did manage to eke out a solid 116.1 miles in the car's first anecdotal test, and all they had to do to go the distance was drive casually and slightly below the speed limit. "It wasn't like I was driving like an obsessed hypermiler," said the driver, who spent most of the trip with the A/C blasting. Nissan recently revised their range estimates for the Leaf to anywhere from 62 to 138 miles depending on speed and weather conditions, so 116.1 is a pretty solid run, but until those charging stations permeate the countryside, we're still going to take the ol' gas-guzzler on our road trips.
Windows Embedded Automotive hits version 7, powers Nissan Leaf, takes MyFord global
We know how patiently you've been waiting for this day, but it's here. It's really here. Microsoft Windows Embedded Automotive 7 is out, appearing in the download queues of "select car makers and suppliers in the automotive industry." What does it offer? Why, Silverlight support for fancier UIs, real-time text-to-speech technology, and better expandability for third-party plugins. In bigger news, Microsoft is confirming that Windows Embedded Automotive (an earlier version) is the brains behind the Nissan Leaf's Information Hub, which not only handles infotainment duties but also gives charging status and power consumption figures. Finally, the MyFord system is going global, shipping to Blue Oval vehicles in Europe and Asia in 2011. That's after 2.5 million Sync-equipped cars have hit the road. Highway domination? Nearly complete.
Tesla, Nissan, and GM working today to find uses for tomorrow's used EV batteries
The single-biggest cost of an electric or hybrid car today? Batteries, of course. A full set of cells is around half the cost of many such vehicles, and that they'll likely need replacing in 10 years means we'll soon have a huge number of formerly very expensive and still very toxic entities lying about. So, many companies that produce cars containing the things are taking this opportunity to hypothesize what to do with them when you're through. They could, of course, be stripped down and recycled, but after a decade they should still offer around half of their capacity, enough to buffer the power generated in a home solar array or wind turbine. In other words: reuse is the name of the game, with SolarCity and Tesla partnering to see if the former can make use of the latter's depleted batteries. GM (creator of the Chevrolet Volt) and Nissan (grower of the Leaf) have recently established similar partnerships with various energy and electrics firms, meaning that today's greenest cars could continue their enviro-friendly ways in the future -- even as their shells rust away in the scrap heap.
Leaf Aptus-II 12 snaps 80 megapixels of awesome on the back of your pro shooter
You ever wonder how CSI sleuths can keep enhancing their images all the way until they see what brand sneakers the perp is wearing? Well, they probably had a pre-release version of one of these Aptus-II 12s from Leaf. This new digital back can fill a staggering 80 million pixels with imaging data, thanks to its 53.7mm x 40.3mm-sized CCD sensor. It comes strapped with a 3.5-inch touchscreen on the back, 80 to 800 ISO range, 1.5 0.6fps capture rate, and a mind-boggling 480MB max file size per image. Should you have the imaging gear to match up to such might, you'll want to know that the Aptus-II 12 is shipping now from Leaf Partners worldwide with a price tag just under €24,000 ($31,387), or you could grab the 12R version -- which features a rotating sensor allowing you to shoot portrait shots without having to turn your camera sideways -- for €31,995 ($41,850). That's actually pretty decent value for your money, considering you'd have had to spend the same amount on the Aptus-II 10 only six months ago -- and that only had a measly 56 megapixel sensor!
Nissan rep confirms delivery of 25,000 Leaf EVs to US by the end of 2011
Nissan has responded to rumors that high demand for its Leaf EV in Japan could cause the company to limit delivery in the United States to just around 3,000 units by the end of March, 2011. That rumor sprang from comments made by a Mossy Nissan general manager, and luckily for electric vehicle lovers in the States, seem to be wholly untrue. Mark Perry, Nissan's director of product planning says that the statement from Mossy Nissan was "purely speculative," and that product allocation is decided based on customer orders. Furthermore, he says the company is still targeting around 25,000 units for the US by the end of 2011. So now we can all sleep better: the nightmare has seemingly ended.
North America's first public-use quick-charge station opens in Portland: 3-handed politician not included
What's being hailed as North America's first public-use quick-charge station for electric vehicles has just been unveiled in Portland. The station, built by NEC subsidiary Takasago, is installed in a PGE headquarters parking garage and will charge electric vehicles with lithium-ion batteries to 80% in about 20 to 30 minutes. So yeah, it's public, as long as you've got a PGE badge apparently. Anyway, the grand opening was led by Governor Ted Kulongoski, pictured above carefully maintaining a safe distance while charging a Nissan Leaf. Guess you can never be too careful when pumping 50kW into a pre-production vehicle. Click through to see a video demonstration of the future, if we're lucky. Update: We're being told that the quick charge station is installed in a public parking garage that is part of the World Trade Center building in downtown Portland (where PGE's headquarters are). It costs $3 to park, but charging is on the house. Thanks, Chris!
The state of the electric automobile, in pictures
You've heard the announcements. You know the specs. You may even be able to guess how the showdown will play out. But unless you were in San Jose, California, this week for Plug-In 2010, you've probably never seen six contenders for our future electric vehicle dollars all in one room. We hopped in our late-80s gas guzzler and hit the show floor in your stead, snapping enough pictures of the Leaf, Volt, Focus, Prius PHEV, fortwo Electric Drive, and the i MiEV to give you a virtual tour. See what we saw after the break.
Nissan Leaf gets early review: you might just forget its an eccentric electric car
It still won't be widely available until 2012, but Nissan's Leaf is already leaking out to a few select media outlets. Our comrades over at Autoblog managed to get behind the wheel of the all-electric whip down in San Jose, and while they didn't find anything that changed the admittedly developing game, what they did find was a solid, refined EV that's "ready for primetime." They were quick to praise the design, which doesn't scream "oddball" like some of the earlier electric automobiles. As for the ride? That was deemed "suitably smooth," while the interior was found to be "a few degrees better than what you'd find in an economy car of similar size." In fact, the overriding tone of the review was one of unsurprised satisfaction, with critics noting that the "gadgetry is impressive, but no more so than some of the hybrid options available from Nissan's competitors," and in the end, the Leaf doesn't aim to "change the driving experience, just change the method of motivation." Hit the source link for the full skinny.
Nissan opens all-electric Leaf pre-orders to the US public: $99 to reserve
Nissan didn't hesitate to gloat about its ability to book 8,000 Leaf pre-orders in just nine days during a pre-pre-order for those who specifically requested early access to the automobile, and now the outfit's looking to make good on plans to have 25,000 orders in place by December. If all goes well, the all-electric car will be "widely available" in 2012, with a semi-wide release slated for next Spring. Naturally, the buzz is already fueling demand, and the automaker has today opened up a public reservation system online for those unwilling to take chances on availability come 2011. If you're interested, you can actually reserve your Leaf right now with precisely zero clothing on -- you heard right, there's no need to even visit a local dealer. Simply hand over a $99 refundable deposit and wait, but you best get your story in line before being pinged by Nissan. The Wall Street Journal has it that pre-orderers will have to "convince Nissan they are up to the task of owning an electric vehicle based on their driving patterns, living arrangements and other factors," and if you call Nunapitchuk, Alaska home, you can bet you'll be shoved to the rear of the line. But hey, we always heard it was best to pull the trigger now and ask questions later. [Thanks, Jim]
Nissan books 8,000 Leaf orders in nine days, gets turned on with that electric feel
Who says people aren't willing to pay upwards of $30k for a car that can only go 100 miles before needing to be tethered to a wall outlet? Evidently Nissan has struck a chord with the US populace, as the automaker just announced that 8,000 orders for the all-electric Leaf were booked in a mere nine days after orders went live. According to Mark Perry, the company's North American director of product planning and strategy, Nissan is "on its way to have 25,000 firm orders by December," and considering that it'll only ship initially in California, Arizona, Washington, Tennessee and Oregon, that's a pretty bold assumption. Better still, Nissan plans to "make money at the price that it announced," though we've no doubt that the $7,500 Federal tax credit has urged fence-sitters to jump in the pre-order line. Still, it's good to see consumers putting their money into unconventional automobiles, but we can't say we're eager to see a special run of Parking Wars dedicated to brawls over what motorist gets the last charging socket on Main Street. Or maybe we are, in a sick and sadistic sort of way.
Leaf debuts Aptus-II 10R digital camera back with rotating sensor
When you pay tens of thousands of dollars for a medium or large format camera and camera back you expect at least a bit of convenience, right? Well, it looks like Leaf is now making folks' lives a tad easier with its new Aptus-II 10R digital camera back, which packs a rotating sensor that will let you switch from portrait to landscape orientation without actually removing the camera back from the camera. Other than that, you can expect a 56-megapixel sensor, a 3.5-inch touchscreen, ISO range from 80-800, and full compatibility with most medium and large format cameras. Oh, and a price of €24,995, or about $33,700.
Leaf announces new Aptus-II 22 megapixel camera back
Neither for the faint of heart nor the slight of credit, Leaf's newest -- the Aptus-II 5 digital back -- boasts a 0.9 fps capture rate, 22 megapixel sensor, 2.5-inch touchscreen display, a 12-stop dynamic range and a 25-400 ISO range. Sounds great, right? What if we told you it would run you €5,995 (about $9,000) for the back itself, or you could bundle it with the Phase One 645AF body and an 80mm lens for €7,995 (about $12,000)? Right, you'll take two. Pre-order now from your favorite Leaf Imaging retailer and you should get your new device in November. PR after the break. [Via DP Review]
Phase One 645DF medium format unveiled, its invasion set for Q4 2009
To think, it's been the better part of five months since Phase One teased us with some professional-grade photography equipment, and here to satiate our cravings yet again is the new 645DF medium format camera. Along with perennial partner Mamiya Digital, the pair created what they're claiming is flash sync speeds of up to 1/1600th of a second, as well as the option to dial between predefined modes. Additionally, three new leaf shutter lenses will be released alongside, available in 55mm, 80mm, and 110mm varieties and all f/2.8. Both are available for order now but not shipping until Q4 2009, with the camera body starting at $5990 and the lenses at $2490 each -- the perfect stocking stuffer for you and your very, very much loved ones [warning: read link is a PDF]. Show full PR text Announcing the PHASE ONE 645DF Medium Format CAMERA The Perfect Body for your Perfect Back COPENHAGEN, September 28, 2009 – Phase One, the world's leader in open-platform medium format camera systems and solutions, today announced the Phase One 645DF camera. Engineered in partnership with Mamiya Digital Imaging for superior quality image capture and ease of handling, it sets a new standard for high flash sync speeds – up to 1/1600 of a second. Also today, Phase One announced the availability of three new high performance leaf shutter lenses, 55mm, 80mm and 110mm, all f/2.8 and all designed with the Phase One 645DF camera in mind. The lenses are a result of close collaboration with Mamiya Digital Imaging and Schneider Kreuznach (see today's related announcement). "Our patent-pending flash sync breakthrough eases working with wide open apertures and fill-in flash on location," said Jan H. Christiansen, Phase One marketing director. "We already offer the most flexible exposure times ranging from 1/4000 of a second to one full hour. Setting new performance standards is all about expanding creative options for photographers." The 645DF camera is the only 645 medium format camera which supports both focal plane and leaf shutters, expanding photographers' innovative possibilities by leveraging the two shutter technologies seamlessly for world class photography, whether this involves ultra-fast flash sync speeds or extremely flexible exposure times. The new camera introduces many performance improvements over its predecessor. Capture responsiveness and autofocus speed is highly improved giving photographers up to 5 times faster performance in a typical fashion set up. The 645DF also offers a breakthrough workflow improvement -- custom-shooting modes. For the first time in a medium-format camera, photographers can "dial up" a pre-defined mode, where the camera is instantly set up for a given shooting scenario, e.g. product, portrait or landscape photography. Other workflow enhancements include new tactile buttons, a fully sealed eye-cup eliminating ambient light, improved viewfinder masks, and customizable audio feedback e.g. on focus lock. Several custom functions have been enhanced, without compromising simple navigation. Freedom to choose the best back for you Phase One builds flexible, open photographic systems to support a professional's style, needs and working preference. The Phase One 645DF camera supports the world's finest digital backs, ensuring freedom of choice and investment protection for years to come. It is compatible with digital backs designed for the Phase One / Mamiya AFD mount, including backs from Phase One, Leaf, Mamiya and others. Pricing and Availability The Phase One 645DF camera body starts at $5990/€4290 and is expected to ship Q4, 2009. The new leaf shutter lenses start at $2490/€1790 and are expected to start shipping Q4, 2009. All equipment can be ordered now from Phase One and Leaf dealers (for the dealer near you, please see: http://www.phaseone.com/partners and http://www.leaf-photography.com/dealers.asp). About Phase One Phase One is the world's leader in open-platform based medium format camera systems and solutions. Phase One medium format cameras, digital backs and lenses are designed to deliver superior quality image capture and investment value. Phase One's Capture One software helps streamline capture and post-production processes for both medium format and DSLR cameras. Phase One products are known for their quality, flexibility and speed enabling pro photographers shooting in a wide range of formats to achieve their creative visions without compromise. Phase One is an employee-owned company based in Copenhagen with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne and Shanghai. For more information about the products, visit the Phase One web site on www.phaseone.com. Phase One is a registered trademark of Phase One A/S. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. [Via Photography Blog]
Nissan's Leaf EV will sound like a Blade Runner spinner, get better mileage
One of the major disadvantages of electric vehicles, for petrolheads at least, is the lack of engine noise. How can you be proud of your beastly motor if it doesn't roar? There are mundane considerations like pedestrian safety too, but that's beside the point. Nissan seems to have uncovered an old copy of Blade Runner in its toolshed and decided that, yes, it might be a good idea for the Leaf EV to emit a whooshing sound inspired by the Philip K. Dick adaptation. If implemented, this will raise the car's price somewhat, but wouldn't you pay a premium to have your auto sound like a jet taking off? The Leaf is expected to arrive in the US in 2010, replete with its reputed 367 miles per gallon efficiency. [Via Autoblog Green]
Nissan says its new electric car, the Leaf, gets 367 miles per gallon
Nissan's gotten into a bit of a bragging contest on Twitter -- possibly fueled by Chevrolet's recent, shaky claim that the Volt will get 230 miles per gallon. The company is now saying that its new electric car, the Leaf, will get an astonishing 367 miles per gallon... even though it's a 100 percent electric car, and runs on absolutely no fuel. So, isn't that zero miles per gallon? Well, yes and no: all these massive numbers are based on both the Department of Energy and the EPA's calculations for estimating equivalencies in electric cars. Why? Well, it seems that car companies are still giving us -- the prospective buying public -- MPG figures because they think that's what we understand best. Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for Chevy's Volt recently admitted to the New York Times that the miles per gallon matrix is "probably not the best measure of goodness" for a car that uses no gallons at all, but that it's "what people are accustomed to." We agree -- he's got a point -- but people were also accustomed to the hi-fi, the corded landline, and the steam engine. We assure you: people understand that a car that runs on zero gas (and therefore gets an astonishingly low amount of miles per gallon) is really, really awesome. So the MPG matrix is useless when talking about electric cars -- we'll adjust! Read - Nissan claims 367 miles per gallon for electric LeafRead - The Chevy Volt: mileage numerology
Mamiya's DL28 digital camera system is slightly cheaper than you'd think
We know you want a pro-friendly medium format digital camera -- so do we -- but they're awfully expensive, aren't they? You might have to think about dropping as much as $30,000 one of these babies if you're the discerning type, but Mamiya is trying to convince you that you can save a few thousand dollars and still get results. Enter the DL28 digital camera system, which combines the body of the well-established 645 with Leaf's Aptus-II 6 digital back. It's got 16-bit capture, a 12-stop dynamic range, an ISO range of 50 - 800, and a fancy 3.5-inch touch screen at price of $15,000, appropriate for cash-strapped professionals and financially comfortable hobbyists -- unless Nikon has something to say about it.
Leaf rolls out wide frame AFi 10 camera system
It looks like those that found Phase One's 60-megapixel P65+ camera a bit too much for them but Hasselblad's 50-megapixel H3DII-50 somehow lacking may now finally have the answer they've been looking for, as Leaf has just introduced its new 56-megapixel AFi 10 camera system. This one's main selling point is its 56mm true wide frame sensor that Leaf designed with DALSA, which promises to "take you to the edge of the medium-format frame." Apart from that, you can expect a one frame per second capture time, exposure times up to a minute, light sensitivity from ISO 50 to 800 and, of course, some 171MB file sizes to impress your friends with. No word on a price and, quite frankly, we're a little hesitant to ask.[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]
